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Arbollé Yam

‘The yam, known as nyu in the local language, is a popular tuber in Burkina Faso. The Arbollé yam variety grows in the village of Arbollé, in the province of Passoré, 50 kilometers north of the capital Ouagadougou. This drought-resistant variety only grows in Passoré’s rich, light, sandy soil. It is distinguished by its elongated, stick-like shape (the tuber has a diameter of 6 or 7 centimeters and can grow up to half a meter long), its spineless roots, its wrinkled gray skin and its tender white flesh, less floury, sweeter and richer in starch than other varieties (for this reason it is also known as the “sugared yam”).The cultivation technique involves digging small holes (around 5 centimeters deep) that pieces of tuber are planted in. The holes are then covered with manure and straw, which protects the plants from the sun and the heat, and left for six or seven months. The harvest takes place in October. The yam is prized for its sensory qualities and can be eaten raw, fried, stewed or boiled. It is sold locally by women, particularly on the side of the road that runs from Ouagadougou to Ouahigouya, or harvested for home consumption.

The Arbollé yam is grown in the seven villages of the Arbollé commune. This variety is increasingly rare because compared to other tubers, its cultivation requires more work, particularly during harvesting (because the tubers are more fragile and thus break easily). What's more, the amount of arable land is decreasing and young people are abandoning agriculture. That is why the Association pour le Développement du Département de Arbollé (ADDA), the Arbollé development association, is seeking to promote the yam and its local area. To do this, the ADDA has organized the producers and the women who sell the yam into two associations. It also holds a festival dedicated to the yam every year in February. The Presidium’s aims are to strengthen the association of producers and the association of women, to raise awareness about the benefits of working together and to improve cultivation techniques, eliminating the use of chemical products in order to ensure the best-quality Arbollé yams.

Production area Arbollé commune, Passoré province

Presidium supported by Fondazioni per l’Africa – Burkina Faso

27 producers joined in the Teeltaaba association and 40 women who sell the yam joined in the Nabanswendé association.

Presidium

The Arbollé yam is grown in the seven villages of the Arbollé commune. This variety is increasingly rare because compared to other tubers, its cultivation requires more work, particularly during harvesting (because the tubers are more fragile and thus break easily). What's more, the amount of arable land is decreasing and young people are abandoning agriculture. That is why the Association pour le Développement du Département de Arbollé (ADDA), the Arbollé development association, is seeking to promote the yam and its local area. To do this, the ADDA has organized the producers and the women who sell the yam into two associations. It also holds a festival dedicated to the yam every year in February. The Presidium’s aims are to strengthen the association of producers and the association of women, to raise awareness about the benefits of working together and to improve cultivation techniques, eliminating the use of chemical products in order to ensure the best-quality Arbollé yams.

Production area Arbollé commune, Passoré province

Presidium supported by Fondazioni per l’Africa – Burkina Faso

Producers

27 producers joined in the Teeltaaba association and 40 women who sell the yam joined in the Nabanswendé association.